Steelers offense paying for mediocre defensive drafting

[Aussie_Steeler]

When you look at the drafting history it's clear a major problem on offense is the lack of high end draft picks, which is the result of the number of missed picks (and Shazier's career ending) on Defense necessitating going back to the well for the same position multiple times. Najee Harris is the first offensive player drafted in the first round since 2012 when DeCastro was drafted. Since that draft the Steelers have had 18 1st and 2nd round picks (I'm including the picks traded for Fitzpatrick and to trade up for Bush in the pick count) of which 12 have been used on defense, and 6 on offense (and 2 of the offensive picks are in their rookie years this year). That's 66% used on 50% of the starting positions. When you break it down further you get 5 used on defensive backs and 6 on linebackers. That's 62% of first and second round picks used on 36% of starting positions (or maybe 40% if you want to factor in occasions when there's 5DB's on the field).

And it gets worse - 5 of the last 9 first rounders used on linebackers, or 56% of first rounders used on 18% of starting positions. Okay, the use of two first rounders on ILB is understandable given the loss of Shazier to injury and you can't expect to hit on every single first and second rounder, but three first rounders on OLB, 2 firsts and a 2nd on safety (and the one real success at safety they traded for) is not a great reflection on drafting.

This goes a long way to explaining why the O is struggling. Certainly coaching also plays a part in the poor performance, but maybe they would have been in a better position to draft O Line high if they hadn't had so many mediocre to poor picks on D, (and they didn't have any late rounders or UDFA's make up for it by becoming first/second round quality players). I'm pretty sure there aren't too many elite O-lines in the NFL that have two rookies starting on an oline that has no first or second round picks. Fans can say they should have prioritised Oline, but reality was each time they went linebacker/safety/cornerback there was an immediate need for starters as a result of previous picks not working out.

 

[Punxsutawney]

It's hard to say they've ignored the offense when, including Freiermuth, they've spent five consecutive 2nd round pick on receivers.

If just a couple of those picks were invested in the line, things might be considerably different right now.

 

[Steeltime]

Creed Humphrey is going to be a good center. Does not have long arms, or he would be even better. He flat-out dominates one-on-one against very large defensive linemen.

Good thing the AFC North does not have a bunch of large defensive linemen, or "Skateboard" Green would be shoved into the backfield like a shopping cart.

 

[wig]

I feel as though Tomlin & Colbert have believed they don't need to worry about the line for most of Ben's career because he's been able to consistently perform despite how shity the line is in front of him.
Clearly, Ben prefers a pass-heavy offense so they haven't tried very hard to get road-graders. They've been more than happy to draft mid to late rounders for the line and let them "develop" as they will. Every now and then they make a "big ticket purchase" of a blue chip and that seems to be enough to hold them for a decade or so. (Pouncey came in around 2010 and DeCastro came in 2012. Other than that... I can't remember any major prospects on the line of scrimmage.)
I guess there was some hype on Green. Perhaps you can count that as an attempt to sign a dominant offensive lineman. But clearly the line has NOT been a team priority since Tomlin took over.

 

[Stryker]

This is a top 3 D if healthy. They just need to be healthy.

 

[MT~Forged]

This is a top 3 D if healthy. They just need to be healthy.

Not buying that.

 

[Drink IRON City]

When you look at the drafting history it's clear a major problem on offense is the lack of high end draft picks, which is the result of the number of missed picks (and Shazier's career ending) on Defense necessitating going back to the well for the same position multiple times. Najee Harris is the first offensive player drafted in the first round since 2012 when DeCastro was drafted. Since that draft the Steelers have had 18 1st and 2nd round picks (I'm including the picks traded for Fitzpatrick and to trade up for Bush in the pick count) of which 12 have been used on defense, and 6 on offense (and 2 of the offensive picks are in their rookie years this year). That's 66% used on 50% of the starting positions. When you break it down further you get 5 used on defensive backs and 6 on linebackers. That's 62% of first and second round picks used on 36% of starting positions (or maybe 40% if you want to factor in occasions when there's 5DB's on the field).

And it gets worse - 5 of the last 9 first rounders used on linebackers, or 56% of first rounders used on 18% of starting positions. Okay, the use of two first rounders on ILB is understandable given the loss of Shazier to injury and you can't expect to hit on every single first and second rounder, but three first rounders on OLB, 2 firsts and a 2nd on safety (and the one real success at safety they traded for) is not a great reflection on drafting.

This goes a long way to explaining why the O is struggling. Certainly coaching also plays a part in the poor performance, but maybe they would have been in a better position to draft O Line high if they hadn't had so many mediocre to poor picks on D, (and they didn't have any late rounders or UDFA's make up for it by becoming first/second round quality players). I'm pretty sure there aren't too many elite O-lines in the NFL that have two rookies starting on an oline that has no first or second round picks. Fans can say they should have prioritised Oline, but reality was each time they went linebacker/safety/cornerback there was an immediate need for starters as a result of previous picks not working out.

NICE piece of work putting this all together Aussi,........ thank you.


I hear what you are saying as over the years I've noticed nothing being put into the OL at all. Draft would come and go and I'd think are these guys going to play forever ?
Foster was a back up at best that we rode to long yet no high draft stock replacement.

They kept drafting and missing on LBs & DBs and it seemed like every year they were drafting "D" at those positions. When they traded for Minka I thought hell yes on the 1st rnd draft pick trade because they haven't done much successfully in that regards to DB picks and here was a proven game played opportunity.






Salute the nation

 

[slashsteel]

It is either substandard drafting or lack of development. As when players go down the standard behind them has been less than attractive obviously.

 

[madinsomniac]

1st and second rounders are glamor picks you shoot for home runs with…. But if you are consistent in development you never need to prioritize picks there

Teams get great real quick if they get 1st round production from low round and undrafted picks… finding vince Williams or Antonio Brown helps a ton… or a fast willie parker…

I think Tomlin has always had a bias to college pedigree over athletic talent… i think cowher and noll looked for raw ability to hone… HCMT looks for more direct translation of college ability to the pros…

Id like our staff to be better teachers of the positions than They seem to be…

 

[Tibs]

Steelers lost sight of the simple fact that *it all starts up front.* And for that, there is a steep price to pay.

 

[deljzc]

The only way this team ever fixes a problem is by throwing 1st rounders at it. And they are always about 2 seasons "late" at predicting where those problems are going to be.

I think at one point 10 out of the 11 starters on defense were 1st/2nd rounders. And yes, that FINALLY started to create results on the field at a championship level. But that's not the normal way of doing things. And we all knew that by devoting that much draft capital to "fix" a problem was going to cause issues elsewhere.

Remember, this also has to do with money and salary cap. When a 4th/5th round player develops into a good starter, his 2nd contract is normally a value-added commodity. He normally signs his contract with one year left on a very crappy rookie deal and is willing to negotiate into a team friendly mid-tier contract with a decent bonus to gain financial security.

First round picks expect to get PAID when their rookie contract expires. Most, if they are starters, have inflated values of their worth. They all want to be paid top-5 at their positions, regardless if they really perform as a top-5 player. And this team, over the past decade, has had very little negotiating power across the table from these athletes. We have so little depth, every agent knows they have Rooney/Colbert over a barrel to get a deal done or let them walk into free agency.

We've seen it time and time again over the past decade that our so-called "star players" are getting paid like "star players". And that is not value based roster building.

The minute we started 10 out of 11 defensive players that were 1st/2nd round picks, the money just doesn't work out. They will ALL want to be paid because they all feel their pedigree is what makes the defense good. Hayward, Tuitt, Watt, Bush, Fitzpatrick.... all think they are the #1 guy on the defense and all want to be paid that way.

When you look at where teams get value it is partly in the free agent market and partly from internal development of mid-rounders into starters and then signed to solid, value 2nd contracts.

The problem is NOT our 1st/2nd round draft picks. It's the failure of the mid-level free agents and mid-round draft picks and our inability to teach, believe or get "splash plays" and stars out of these groups.